Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-06-11

ser.ed, they patrol every street. leaving not
house nvisited, or person unsolicited.
The broken bits of bread and meat, stumps
of vegetables & cold clothes and old vict-
uals, according TO Mrs. Partington's Ike,
and other odds and ends of the household
are thus thrifty disposed of; for besides
benefiting the poor on general principles,
and getting rid of particular pests, whose
persistence would otherwise become an
noying, the giver has the pious satisfaction
of :" lending TO the Lord" and laying up for
himself treasure in heaven.
With their usual poetical instincts, Mex
leans call beggars Pordi0seras e. For Gods
sakes "a name not inappropriate, consider
ing that the mendieants themselves always
preface their petitions with those words.
The vagabond fraternity of Mexico ply their
avocation with system and assiduisy
which is conspicuousiy wanting in most
other branches of business in this queer
country. Ia the first place they are regu-
larly licensed and protected by law, and
there being no almshouses. are allowed to
live in their own way, so long as not seri
ously detrimental to the public peace. They
divide every city into districts and beats to
suit themselves. assigning to each beggar
his own particular prowling place Should
any mendicant less honorable than his fell
lows venture upon the territory assigned to
another, he would surely be received with
vigorous and combined attack of iron
shod stats and crutches, welded with
will by arms which, at other times, appear
crippled TO helpiessness.
The licensed beggar is seldom imperti-
nent, and if harshly repused will make you
ashamed of your rudeness by returning 1t
with obeisance worthy of Chesterfield in
his palmiest days, and sad but dignitied,
IeTd0ae= me, SelOrtG A fayOrlte expe-
dent for getting rid of them during six
days of the week is to say NADIA hasta SGbado
{" Nothing until Saturday,, with which
implied promise they shuttle contentedly
away. But though you call upon the hills
and mountains to cover you, they seldom
fail to ferret you out on the designated day,
and present themselves with the utmost
confidence, expecting double bonus. And
failure on your part to "come down
Handsomely" after all their trust and trouble,
would be to shake their faith in human
nature and to call down upon your per-
jured head their devoutest prayers inverted.
Worst of all are
THE FEAALE FoB-GoD's sAKEs =
For, understanding by instinct the inhe-
rent vanity of the sex, they will plant
themselves in your path Gf you are a We
NAM, and rolling up their optics as if in an
ecstacy OF admiration, will discourse upon
your grace and beauty in such exaggerated
terms that you are glad to escape at any
price.
Anybody's doorway or arcade may be
utilized as lodging-place by these gamin,
hole f. 3 q
your premises for an indefinite period with
out so much as formal by your leave :"
and TO drive off the intruders is about as
easy as to rid yourself ola healthy but hun
CRY tick which has attached himself 10
your CUTS. Thousands of city vagabonds
have no habitatlons except of this descrip-
ton. their earthly possessions consisting of
one yermin-infested blanket to each adult,
which serves him beautifully as a portable
bed, and an earthern pot or two TO every
family, in which their scan. cooking is
done (perhaps on your front doorstep
over few dry twigs or handful of stolen
charcoal. Indeed, the beggars are about
the happiest people | have met in Mexico
for life to them is one long holiday
happy-go- lucky existence, wholly relieved
from work or worry. No crushing cares
disturb the serenity of their souls, nor
vaulting ambition, nor thoughts of rainy
days to come. Every one of them of adult
age IS married, and all are surprisingly
atfiuent in olive branches" for reckless
Mexicans, like poor humans north of the
Rio Grande, rush into double blessedness
quite regardless of the number of beggars
they may inflict upon the world. Besides
innumerable children, each beggar posses
SEES dog or two to share his misfortunes
and | have frequently observed, as a sing
ular circumstance, that the deeper and
more hopeless his apparent Indulgence, the
greater the number of his canine attaches
And thus these
SIDEWALK CITIZENS
Spend their time in the intervals of beg
glng, lounging in the sunshine and gossip
ing with the neighbors, as contentedly as
the haughtiest hidalgo whose prodigal
coins support him. Pordioseras male and
female, address all ladies of whatever age
or station, who come within range of their
pleading by such endearing and familiar
words as nina, nin0td, ninacita C' girl,
little girl, dear little girl). In church they
are particularly annoying, buzzing about
the doors like swarm of bees, importu-
ming all passers and Fostering worshipers
in the midst of their prayers. The impu-
dence OF their persistency is only equaled
by the ingenuity displayed in the invoca-
tons by which, under the guise of religious
feeling, they wheedle the last penny out of
your pocket. Upon your knees in a crowded
sanctuary, in the midst of the most solemn
mass, or an Ave Maria Purissima, they
fling themselves and their filthy rags be-
fore you, and grovelling upon the ground,
pour forth their petitions to your purse in
this wise: " Ninacita Por ell amor de la
Santssima Virgin ~ By the blood of
Christ For sake of the most Holy Trim
ity For the love of God and his angels
By the bones Of the blessed martyrs etc,
through all the saints in the calendar If
you are so obdurate as TO go on with your
devotion, regardless of his prayers, he tries
another tact and appeals TO your domestic
sympathies. To men he will say; By
the soul of your wifei By the life of your
sweetheart To women: BY the heart
of your lover! BY the life of your little
child" and to children: BY the life of
your motheri By the honor of your faith
er !" A mixture of piety and superstition
makes mast people draw forth their purses
especially women and children, VINO are
too tender hearted to resist such appeals
The plea that you have no small coin
about you is not valid excuse with Mexi-
can beggars, for upon such hint any one
of the half naked rascals will dive under
his dirty blanket and, producing a we'll
filed bag of silver, courteously cffer to
make change" for you
FANNIE Il. WARD.
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THE WIND AND THE STARS AND
THE SEA.